Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-12


Tranp Fraternity-How Recently Bereaved
Chicago Widows Are Worked for Old
Clothes.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
II have heard with deep regrets of your
bereavement, madame, and knowing that
you are charitably inclined, have called
to see if you would aid me in procuring
employment. / have wife and three
children dependent upon me for living.
l am promised work in ten different
stores If can make myself presentable.
You have no further use for them-they
will only tend to call forth painful recol
lectlons. / mean the clothes of Mr..
--." The lady in deep mourning
and eyes bedimmed with tears, readily
assented, and in few moments SER
want appeared with good sized bundle
of clothing, the door closed, the petit
toner left a house on Washington boule-
ward, where death had visited the night
before, turned the next corner, met a
confederate, delivered the bundle to him,
and the latest Eastern racket had worked
to nicely.
Curious to get more thorough insight
into the business, reporter visited
well known resort of the apostles
the apostles of ''cadging" on Washing
near Franklin. The place is a
low, dingy, and filthy GROCERY demon
mated by the genus tramp, whose head
quarters it has been for years, the Sew
en-" A dozen or more of the fraternity
were collected about the stove, smoking,
chewing, expectorating, and narrating
fables. Presently
ALULL TO THE PROCEEDINGS
was occasioned by the appearance of a
comparatively we'll dressed man. "Poys,"
quoth he, handing three of them slip
each, ode gots are goot to-day. All big
fellers up in der avenues. Come round
to der sthore and wash your mugs und
fins"
The reporter recognized the speaker
as we'll known Madison street pawn
broker. The trio accompanied him to
the sign of the three golden spheres, and
a moment later emerged with clean faces
and somber looks. Each was accompan-
led by confederate. They were armed
with the residences and names of men
who had died the previous night, copied
from the death notices contained in the
morning papers. The reporter singled
out pair and followed them down to
Clark street. Here the two boarded a
north-bOund street car, riding as far as
Lincoln Park. Following them the re-
porter was carried down Garfield avenue.
The pair were IN advance of the scribe
about 100 yards. Suddenly the ''unwash-
ed" party turned a corner. The other
kept on until house was reached, in
front of which he halted. There had
been death in the house, as was evidenc-
ed by long piece of Grape pendant from
the door knob.
~, THE MAN TIMIDLY RANG
the bell, and domestic answered the
summons. The caller desired to see the
lady of the house. The lady could not
be seen. great bereavement loss
of her husband-had so worked upon her
that she was confined to her room. The
caller was not to be put off in this way.
He insisted mildly, yet emphaticaly, and
the lady of whom he was in quest soon
came to the door. The same story that was
poured into the sympathetic ears of
Washington boulevard widow was given
here, and was equally successful, for, a
bundle was the nntcome of the nonverSa-
ton. AS before, too, the clothes were
handed to the man around the corner.
Three other houses were visited, only one
of which, however, any clothes were got
ten from. And so, with the bundles, the
pair returned the way they came, obtain
ed the ready cash for the fruits of their
labors, and returned to the "Sewer."
where they spent the money obtained in
this manner.
'Cadging' is a comparatively new in
SUTTON in Chicago. A good strike is very
often productive of an entire outfit of
SHIFTS ipoluSinu hroadcJOths and fine lin an
underwear. Johnny" Dugan, smooth
tongued onny," brought the practic
West some months ago, and it will soon
assume the proportions it holds in New
York and Philadelphia.